Wow-wow! Say hello to our new offerings menu for the shop, which was all hand-lettered by me, by-the-way- we’re really stoked about how all the new branding is really coming together.

We’re also beyond stoked to share all our new services and offerings. We’ve been promising to get you in the loop about all our new private label, wholesale, and gift offerings at the new Gemini Handmade, but what does that all mean anyway? What is private label? Custom? Gift offerings? Read on to learn more about what these terms really mean, and how they can apply to you!

Custom Goods: This one is obvious! Have a cell-phone that needs a specific sized case, perhaps you’re a chef that wants a custom knife-roll for your knives, or you just have this idea for the perfect bag stuck in your head? Any of those are custom orders, and we’re happy to consider them! Email us for a free custom consultation, and we’ll set up a meeting where we can discuss your dream and figure out a way to make it real!

Monogramming: This one explains itself too. We offer stamped and hand-lettered monogramming on most of our leather products. Purchases from us include a basic, 3-letter monogram for free with purchase. Have something of your own you’d like monogrammed? Cost starts at $5!

Wedding favors from Jake and Elyse's Camp Blue Moon wedding in 2015.

Weddings Gifts: Because we craft in small batches, we often get asked to create little runs of products for bridal and groom parties. This might be wallets or cuffs for the groomsmen, or all matching earrings or sandals for bridesmaids. We also have created larger batches of favors in the past, such as a mug-wrap for each guest at our own Camp Blue Moon Wedding. Either-way, we are amped to make something handmade for your big day!

Custom designed and stamped challenge coin cases for a local corporate initiative.

Corporate Gifts: Ya know that bag of swag you get from the office at the holidays, or that fine portfolio that was a free gift from your new financial advisor? Companies get that swag from somewhere, and we’d like more of them to get it from us! We’ve created corporate batches of product of 100+ units for law-offices, accounting firms, and real-estate agencies, incorporating single letter monograms for the individuals receiving the gifts- and, we can even create a custom heated stamped of your business’s logo, making an unforgettable connection between the gift and your organization!

Event Favors + Promotional Items: You’ve all received a chatzky at some point I’m sure- those little coasters from the bar, or the nylon back-pack you got when you signed up for your gym membership? All those weird little things are considered event favors and promotional items. We’re proud to offer high-quality leather and canvas options for favors for your upcoming event or launch, ranging from key-chains with your logo custom embossed, to merchandise for your brewery’s company store!

The new Wave fold-over messenger tote from Woosah Outfitters, built by Jake at Gemini Handmade.

Private Label: This is the term that hangs a lot of people up- what the heck is private label? Does that mean the tag is invisible? No, private label simply means that we make stuff for other brands. A great and cherished example for our shop is our ongoing relationship with Woosah Outfitters here in Grand Rapids. We design and make all the canvas + leather goods in their shop, such as custom bags with their own fabric designs, mug-wraps that feature Woosah’s wood-cut logos, and even the engraved leather-patches for hats and apparel! If you have a lifestyle, home, or entertainment brand that is seeking merchandise to expand your offerings, we would love to help you design and make it, and will work with you to create a line of goods that meet your price, aesthetic, and will be a win for all involved!

Littlewings Designs catch-alls, available for wholesale order.

Wholesale: Wait, so I can walk into your store and if I buy a ridiculous amount of wallets, get them at a wholesale price, like Costco? Well, sort of. Each of our own fashion lines, Littlewings Designs and Harbinger Leather Design, as well as the Gemini Handmade line of gift-goods, are available for wholesale purchase by gift-shops, boutiques, and stores. These products are labeled with the brand from which they are ordered (Harbinger Leather Design, Littlewings Designs, or Gemini Handmade), and are meant for resale by a licensed shop entity. Do you own a shop of handmade goods, curate a museum gift-shop, or merchandise for a chain of stores, and want to add handmade leather-goods? Then our trio of brands may be perfect for you- please get in touch for wholesale ordering information from any of our brands!

Consulting: Sometimes, you have an idea or own a business yourself, and you’ve run into a jam. Perhaps you’re a cut and sew manufacturer that needs a construction technique reworked for a bag, or maybe you’re an entrepreneur looking to create a new product and need advice about where to start. We are happy to offer consulting in design, leather/soft-goods production, and handmade business operation, to other businesses and clients- get in touch with us about hourly rates and session packages!

Yes, we've been asked about making a leather hot-air ballon; no, we did not take on that commission.

Prototyping: Do you have an idea for a whole product that’s never been seen before and is going to change the world, and it’s made out of leather? Let us help you make it a reality! We get so excited to help entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life for custom leather-goods, ranging from bags and tool-belts to home fixtures and decor. We’ll meet with you for a custom consultation about your project, learn about your needs and goals for this idea, and work with you to manifest the dream in your head into an object in your hand. The sky is the actual limit, though we do have to draw the line at hot-air balloons.

Keep your eyes peeled here as we begin the big rebrand with our launch party this weekend, Saturday June 9th from 12-7pm, where we will unveil the new shop look, the new website, and show off a new collection of our Gemini Handmade catalog of goods, and send us an email to request our wholesale line-sheet and other ordering information!

It's official: we're rebranding here at Parliament!

On June 9th, 2018, we will be known as Gemini Handmade!

We're really excited about this shift and all the ways we will be pushing for new growth and direction with this new name.

Why the change?

Well, that requires a little Parliament-ed History...

Originally, Parliament was launched by me, Elyse Marie Welcher, as a storefront and studio for my brand of leathergoods and accessories, Littlewings Designs. I knew I wanted to carry the work of other artists and makers, so a different name was necessary; since my logo is an owl and a flock of owls is called a "Parliament" it seemed like a fitting name for the shop.

But since launching, the scope of the shop, what we do, and why it exists have all evolved dramatically. We went through a season of collective ownership, when my husband and another partner joined the business, and have shifted out of that collective ownership recently to be owned just myself and my husband Jake. We also have shifted our literal location to a new home at 136 S Division Ave, taking up residence in the space we love in February of 2017. We have evolved in what our shop offers and produces- we started out as more of an atelier and boutique, and have evolved far more into a studio and gift shop. Finally, Jake and I are now running the shop side-by-side, with Jake having a far greater role as the production manager of all our wholesale and gift production, while I have evolved into the creative and marketing director of our three brands together.

The original naming and all of these other shifts have led us to realize it's time for the next chapter. Jake and I have been waiting for the chance to bring the story back to center about our journey as a couple of leather-workers, and with a new name and new scope, we're thrilled to be able to do that!

Why the name Gemini Handmade?

Gemini Handmade is a play on mine and Jake's birth story. We were born 2 days apart in Grand Rapids, MI, at the same hospital, and were in the nursery at the same time. We realized this on our second or third date, and it was pretty obvious to us that we were meant for each other- the very stars had written it to be so! So, in having the chance to rename our space, we wanted to make it about the two of us, and our complimentary roles in the business to one another- and we're both Geminis, so how could we not?

We're really excited about what all of this means, and can't wait to celebrate with you, our friends and fans of all these years!

Join us on June 9th, 2018, for the Becoming... Gemini Handmade Rebranding Party from 12-7pm at 136 S Division Ave! We will be reconnecting all the social media handles that morning, unvieling the new website, marking the celebration with cake and ice-cream, and sharing all of our new business-to-business offerings. Plus, we'll be offering a DIY Build Your Own Mug-Wrap bar, where you can pick your colors and custom monogram a mug-wrap for a mason jar! Check out the event on Facebook to RSVP- plus it's our 30th Birthdays, so what better way to celebrate and wish uswell into a new decade for the big 3-O!

Stay tuned here for our next post, where we will share more about our new offerings for wedding, event, and corporate gifts!

Gemini Handmade

Artisan leather, textiles, and practical goods. Found at Parliament the Boutique, crafted at Parliament the Studio. Home of Littlewings Designs, Harbinger Leather Design, and Adventure Textiles. Proudly crafted in Grand Rapids, MI, from our hands to yours.

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